New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-06-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
ashington, Nav 3Oth, ]

w SsoAAAsS9 1OA4, AhcAy OOoAs AoSs'
q Ere this letter reaches you the Ma
tional Drill will be thing of the past.
The competitive drills closed on Satur-
day, but the Encampment does not
break up until this evening, and no one
but the judges knows as yet who will
bear away the trophies, except in one in
stance, where a private Of the San An
tonic Rifles won the first prize given
| to individual contestants of the infantry
drill
Altogether the visiting military have
had a delightful week, and it is safe to
say the Drill has been one of the most
successful ever held in this country.
There have been vicissitudes in the
weather, to be sure, but naturally these
| are the accomplishments OF camp Life.
Rain as we'll as sunshine, cold as well
as heat, winds and thunder and light
ming were all necessary to give service
in the field its proper relish. The cy-
clone that swept over the tented city
was a little more than the soldiers or
the managers of the Drill had expected,
but the latter say the Drill will not be a
financial failure, although they were
greatly damaged by the storms.
Yesterday was Sunday, and, accord
ing to agreement, Rev. T. Dewitt Tai
mage preached at the Drill ground from
little, awning canopied pavilion in
front of the grand stand. But to my
surprise at first, the military, all except
a few hundred, were conspicuous by
their absence. Do not imagine that
MIR. Talmage fell short of an audience
in consequence. He was greeted by a
congregation of fifteen thousand strong.
| About seven thousand five hundred PEG.
pie paid a quarter to gec inside the
enclosure and sit or stand anywhere
within sound of his voice, and fully as
many more paid fifty cents for y chair
on the grand stand.
While the sermon was in progress the
soldiers were over at the camp ground
fixing UP for the dress parade which
was to take place at its close. In due
time they marched into the Drill ground
to the music of their different bands,
and during the whole week a more ef-
fective scene was not witnessed than
this last dress parade. The troops were
massed in battalions across the entire
greensward, and very skilfully placed
as regarded their varicolored uniforms.
Many of the uniforms were striking,
others brilliant and even gorgeous. and
all contrasted we'll with the prevailing
green OF the parade ground. The Mar.
inc Band of forty men in bright red
coats, white helmets and white pants
furnished the martial music and
marched from one end to the other of
the front while they were playing as is
usual in dress parades. The Generals
and other officers, in full dress uni
forms, stood at their proper places and
altogether the picture was imposing.
When the ceremonies of the parade
were over and the troops were prepar-
ing to leave the ground, their move
ments presented brilliant spectacle
which will long be remembered by
those who witnessed it. The day was
perfect, bayonets flashed in the sun
shine, banners and plumes waved,
bright colors glowed everywhere and to
heighten the effect OF the scene, one
soldier, overcome by the heat, fell faint
ing on the ground, and was carried from
the field by camrades.